mab@hou4a.UUCP (Michael Brochstein) (01/10/85)
BENJAMIN OF TUDELA
A Restaurant Review by Michael Brochstein
Finally, the NYC area Jewish community has a truly
elegant strictly kosher restaurant. There is of course La
Difference, Moshe Peking, and Lou G. Siegels but this definitely
classier. A little background is in order for those of you who
haven't heard of this new place. It opened about a month ago at
307 Amsterdam Ave. (74-75 St.), has an O-U heksher, and
advertises regularly in "The Jewish Week".
The decor is very tastefully done with a bar in front and
the dining area up a small flight of stairs past the bar. (As of
yesterday they have not gotten their liquor license.) At the
foot of the stairs a hostess will take your coat to the check
room downstairs for you and the coatcheck will be given to you at
your table by your waiter. Another hostess will guide you to
your table (reservations advised, especially on weekends). The
decor of the dining room reminded my companion and myself of
Woody Allen's movie "Interiors". We were both impressed.
The service is VERY good and unlike any other kosher
restaurant I have been in. Even before you waiter comes to take
your order you are being offered a choice of rolls which a waiter
will serve to you with tongs from his tray of fresh rolls. We
tried the pumpernickel and plain rolls and they were both warm
and good. No slabs of butter at this joint. The butter
(margarine) is mixed with some small green vegetable and already
on the bread plate that each person has by their setting (with a
buttering knife already on it, of course).
The menu is small by Jewish standards but there is an
ample number of choices to choose from. We tried the "Roast
Eggplant Salad" and an artichoke and duck dish as appetizers.
They were both excellent. For entrees we had (I forgot the exact
names) fish (cod) and duck. As you can guess by this point they
were both excellent. Dessert (my favorite course) consisted of a
piece of "Chocolate Fudge Cake" and a pear in a sauce of
cherries. Guess what, they were also excellent.
Through out the meal my water glass was always kept
filled without asking and the hostess came around to ask if
everything was okay. The waiter explained that the name of the
restaurant comes from a Jewish guy in Spain who traveled around a
lot (or something like it). This is interesting considering that
officially this restaurant has a french cuisine.
The cost for the meal is in line with Manhattan prices.
Entrees ranged in price from about $ 13 - 22 with most towards
the lower amount. Credit cards are of course accepted here.
I encourage all of you who are in the NYC area to give
this restaurant a try. The Jewish community needs more places
like this and it would be a shame to see it close like so many
other kosher restaurants have. I predict that Benjamin of Tudela
will easily survive because it fills a need and does it in a very
very good style. So on the next occasion that is appropriate,
(anyone will do) treat yourself and someone special to this truly
special place.
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Michael Brochstein AT&T Information Systems, Holmdel, NJ
ihnp4!hou4a!mab (201) 834-3482dave@lsuc.UUCP (David Sherman) (01/13/85)
Omigosh. A kosher restaurant with good service?
What's the world coming to?
Unfortunately, the proprietors of "nice" kosher restaurants
always seem to think they're doing the community a favour just by
existing, and the little things in the service show it. Let's hope
Benjamin of Tudela is another exception. We'll look for it when we're
next in NYC. Thanks for posting, Michael.
David Sherman
Toronto
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